Calgary Transit plans to halt popular southwest bus routes

With the introduction of the west leg of the LRT, two bus routes are slated to be shut down for good and residents of the impacted communities are not pleased with the decision.

Bus routes 101 and 104 with service along Bow Trail out of the west Calgary communities of Coach Hill and Strathcona will cease to exist following the December 2012 opening of the newest branch of the CTrain.

Calgary Transit will provide shuttle service to the 69 St LRT station for residents of Coach Hill and Strathcona but bus service to the downtown core along Bow Trail will be halted.

A petition is circulating in the southwest communities in the hope of stopping the route closures. The petition has over 900 signatures and organizers say nearly everyone they talk to is upset with Calgary Transit’s decision.

“I was just amazed when I went door to door,” says Myrtle Sproule, a resident of Coach Hill. “When I met people, over 80 per cent, probably 90 per cent, were in favour of keeping the 101 bus to go downtown.”

Calgary Transit is planning to hold open houses about the route changes in early 2013.

Photos

Transit users prepare to board a Route 101 bus.

A petition is circulating in the communities of Strathcona and Coach Hill asking Calgary Transit to reconsider its decision to close two popular bus routes